Although boxing is refined, dignified and known as a gentleman’s sport, it’s usually not associated to children with cancer.

On December 1, 30 athletes step into the Dekada Boxing ring at the Deerfoot Casino Chrome Showroom. Some are in the first boxing match of their life, a few have done it at least once before. They’re all doing it not only for a glimpse of stardom, but in support of a great local cause.

Most kids in our city are worried about what they’ll be for Halloween, how they’ll do in their next big game, or how to tell mom and dad their grades are slipping. For others, it’s much more. They wonder if they can win their battle against cancer.

Believe In The Gold was started at the end of a young ladies losing battle to cancer in our city, but she left her mark and hope to help families in Calgary who face the same fight.

Jacey Uphill was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in June 2010 at the age of 16. The cancer had no known cause, no boundaries, and no training for what was about to come. Jacey chose the word “believe” as a personal mantra to help her through those difficult times, and it’s turned into a word the entire cancer community can embrace.

Each person’s journey with cancer will be described differently. However, we often hear it being referred to as “the fight of your life”.

As a 16 year old she saw things in the medical system that needed to change. She saw several problems beyond her own. This is when “believe” grew beyond herself. She viewed the research as dated and wondered why so many of the children were being treated with methods used 50 years ago. She believed this needed to change.

She asked why no one knew about the gold ribbon and these children in the hospital fighting this fight.

Her words would so often be” how come people don’t know about me and these children here, because if they did things would most certainly change”?

It was so hard for a young woman to see her family stricken with concern for her life, but also with the financial challenges it brought. Yes, our health care system covers costs for those In the hospital but there were thousands of dollars for her family to pay to have her at home.

These pillars turned into her passion, her dream for her life beyond cancer and what she would do when she became well. Sadly, Jacey lost her battle with cancer on October 14, 2012.

In 2014, a grassroots community had begun to bring her dream into a reality. Believe in the Gold, a small charity, now supports childhood cancer research, childhood cancer awareness and supports families financially with costs that are related to their medical treatment.

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